Despite repeated warnings from cybersecurity experts, the push for internet voting continues, prompting a new letter signed by numerous scientists and security professionals urging against its implementation in public elections.
Executive summary: The core argument, consistently reinforced by years of research, is that internet voting remains fundamentally insecure. Current and foreseeable technologies cannot adequately protect against the inherent risks, yet vendors persist in claiming otherwise. The Mobile Voting Foundation, led by Bradley Tusk, is specifically cited for actively promoting these potentially misleading systems to journalists and election officials.
the central concern revolves around the vulnerability of internet voting systems to hacking, malware, and coercion. Unlike traditional voting methods, which offer physical security measures and paper trails for audits, internet voting introduces numerous points of failure. These include vulnerabilities in individual devices, home networks, and the voting servers themselves.
Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of manipulating online voting systems through various attack vectors, including phishing, denial-of-service attacks, and the injection of malicious code. The lack of a verifiable paper trail makes it exceedingly challenging to detect and correct errors or fraudulent activity, undermining public trust in the integrity of the election process.
The letter specifically calls out the efforts of Bradley Tusk and his Mobile Voting Foundation, arguing that their promotion of internet voting is a risky misrepresentation of the technology’s capabilities. Critics contend that the foundation’s claims of security are not supported by scientific evidence and that their lobbying efforts are designed to profit from the adoption of insecure voting systems.
Signatories to the letter emphasize that the risks associated with internet voting outweigh any perceived benefits,such as increased convenience or accessibility. They advocate for continued investment in secure and reliable voting methods, such as paper ballots and auditable electronic voting machines, to ensure the integrity of democratic elections.
